Grand Prairie Baptist Church - Auxvasse, MO - Baptist Churches on Waymarking.com

County of church: Callaway County
Location of church: Harrison St. (MO E) & Main St. (Old US 54), Auxvase
pastor: Bro. Ben Taylor
Phone: 573 386 5224

"Grand Prairie Baptist Church was organized on November 26, 1843 in the country home of Richard and Nancy Swon. There were 21 charter members. By December 23, 1843, membership had grown to 46 and services were held in a log school house. On January 3, 1844, the church purchased two parcels of land on State Road E three fourths of a mile northwest of Auxvasse. The Grand Prairie Cemetery remains at that location today. Three houses of worship were erected at that site. Two were built of logs and stood in what is now the Grand Prairie Cemetery. The third was a frame structure and stood north and across the road from the cemetery.

"In 1882 the church building was moved to Auxvasse and rebuilt at it's present locaton on a lot probably donated by Nancy Swon. Church members met in the Methodist Church during the time that the church was being rebuilt. Sadly, this church buiding burned on June 24, 1896. At a special meeting held in the Christian Church, an offering was taken to rebuild. The new church was constructed and a dedication ceremony was held on June 23, 1897. It is the sanctuary in which services are held to this day.

"By 1960, the church had outgrown this new building and the first brick addition, behind and south of the orginal building was added. The two lots lying south of the present church building at the corner of Main Street and Harrison Avenue, now serving as the church parking lot, were purchased in 1973 and 1977. A second addition, constructed of brick to match the first, was built during the period of 1999-2000. Three volunteer construction teams from baptist churches in Kansas, Texas & Tennessee worked with men from our church to complete much of the labor on this building." ~ Grand Prairie Baptist Church website